Friday, October 16, 2020

the worst one yet

This is likely to be the worst one yet

The nine black robes defending minority rule 

Protecting white supremacy and male domination 

Rolling back our gains won through struggle 


This one is a believer in a medieval religion 

A crusader against a woman's right to choose 

Genuflecting at the feet of those sanctimonious priests

Telling parishioners to obey them their Lord


This one says they are not a scientist

Meaning they don't know that the climate crisis is real

And says sexual orientation is a preference

Meaning they don't recognize LGBTQ rights


This one plans many more reactionary rulings

Protecting the rights of capitalist owners 

Perpetuating the institutions of this racist system

Opposing every progressive reform 


There is a remedy of course 

Better than expanding the number of robes

Which isn't going to happen anyway

And is just one of the many ways the system is rigged 


We need to start over again from scratch

If you want everyone's vote to actually count 

If you want equal rights for everyone to be a reality 

If you want our health and happiness to be a priority 


They aren't going to give it up without a fight 

But we are the majority and we have the means

To compel the changes that are sorely needed 

Because we are the ones who do all the work

Thursday, October 15, 2020

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

together and apart

Of all the thousands of people in this place

Younger and older going about their lives

So few are known to me to greet by name

Much less to say anything personal


Seeing a stranger I sometimes wonder

What it would be like to get to know them

Imagining about their life and what stories

They could tell me if we were friends


But I keep my distance especially now

As the pandemic intensifies our isolation

Having to withdraw into our separate lives

Susceptible to a sense of alienation


Some take risks being desperate to socialize

Needing to talk face to face over a meal

Wanting to be close enough to touch

To eat drink and be happy for tomorrow you die


But most take precautions being careful

Hoping to live to see another happier day

Knowing we are not alone in our challenges

Contending with similar difficulties


The disconnect of being together and apart

Impacts all of us but more if we are alone

In a kind of parallel collective experience

Each in our individual household silos


Warm and dry under comfy covers

On this cold and wet October night

We are happy to be next to each other

Lucky to be enjoying good health